We GBG tickers NEVER give up, and a week after NEARLY completing Merseyside, I was back in Upton to complete the task. Hopefully before BRAPA.
I rather arrogantly assume I know this country like the back of my hand, but I’d never noticed, or at least noted, Upton on all my travels round the Wirral.
In fairness, it’s the sort of village that might be lumped under Arrowe Park, or Greater Birkenhead, or even Noctorum (who ?) in future Guides. Face it, most folk think the Wirral is part of Liverpool.
Astonishingly, 16,130 people live here, making it bigger than Oakham and Uppingham combined. Well I never.
It’s a tidy place, with some pleasing flora and well-tended parks only scarred by youngsters wearing the new Liverpool FC kit.
Some mixed housing around Overchurch,
and a pub sign that suggests Sam Smiths but sadly isn’t. But it’s a great pub sign.
There’s a little arcade of shop with ladies who latte on the pavement and a board advertising “Pregnancy Sport Swedish Aroma Deep Tissue”, who you’ll know supported Kangaroo Air Force Ventilator on their 2018 UK tour.
The new beer shop joins a solid looking Thwaites house that almost mirrors the Tolly Follies.
In contrast, the Bow-Legged Beagle, sister pub to the New Brighton Guide entry I so enjoyed on my birthday, is a bit “beer bar by numbers”.
But it’s all about the welcome, isn’t it ? And a young chap gives me loads of info about Upton that I’ve now forgotten, and recommends the Salopian Lemon Dream which I pick at the expense of the local Brimstage.
He pulled it through the pipes thoroughly too, but while it was OK I couldn’t help thinking I should have gone local. Follow your dreams, folks. Or at least your instincts.
I followed the sign to the Gents and found it otherwise occupies by a beer barrel. I hope that’s not the cooling system.
retiredmartin 
There is a Third Bow Legged Beagle in Bromborough. in possibly the worst case of bad timing it opened the week before the first lockdown.
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I bet not many visitors have walked along the road past the Overchurch! In fact, I was probably the previous one when I ticked it in 2019. Did it look like it was still operational?
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I saw a lady go in when I walked past, so presumably, Phil.Would love to tell you I popped in and they had 12 beers on in immaculate condition and cobs but I’d be lying.
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I’ve just checked my blog and I had a Carling there.
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#PubMan #Hero
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That population size surprised me too!
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The housing estates aren’t THAT built up, and the little shopping arcade is tiny. Wonder if the boundary crosses the motorway towards Prenton.
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Population of Wirral is 320,000.
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Theoretically, yes, but half of them are at Anfield or Goodison at any one time, surely ?
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Yes, deserves its own “county” chapter in the Guide, I reckon. Shame there’s only Gallaghers in the GBG in Birkenhead really, but could certainly scrape together a few more round New Brighton, I reckon.
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I know! But it doesn’t feel as big as say Otley, having lived right next to both.
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Must be a dozen or more settlements of significant size, and I reckon there were 23,000 bikers the time I visited that Eastham Ferry pub.
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WE GBG tickers.
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If you think the Eagle & Child is impressive, you should see the Coach & Horses up the road in Moreton. Possibly built by the same brewery, a predecessor of Whitbread. Unlikely to ever have graced the GBG.
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You’re right, it hasn’t (in my experience anyway). Craft Union, so probably a good enough Doom Bar.
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No cask when I visited in 2018.
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WhatPub says it does have now.
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You organise the Proper Day out !
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Birkenhead Brewery and Threlfalls owned a good chunk of the pubs in Wirral. Both fell to Whitbread in the mid 60s who had completely eradicated cask beer in their pubs on the peninsula by the early 70s. Wirral has never really recovered from this in beer terms. Higsons also fell into their clutches eventually. Choice has only returned in the last few years.
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That toilet with the beer barrel in is the sort of nightmares I have about needing the loo but all the toilets I see are un usable for all sorts of disgusting reasons -I probably need therapy
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I was a bit shocked, to say the least. Had to use the disabled loo.
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Is the safe in the gents where they keep the toilet rolls during lockdown?
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The pasta, actually.
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There is a lot of interesting history in Upton https://neilirving73.wordpress.com/2012/03/11/the-grave-stones-at-overchurch-upton-some-of/ and had some fabulous times in The Overchurch Pub 😊
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Some great photos on that blog of yours, thanks Neil.
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Many thanks, it’s an interesting place and 2 minutes from our house, also very peaceful, we have spent entire days there with picnics and blackberry picking, for homemade wine hic hic
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